Lock cylinder assembly



Feb. 6, 1968 P. M. KOBREHEL 3,367,155

I LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLY Filed May 16, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

M A TTO/Q/VE V Feb. 6, 1968 P. M. KOBREHEL 3,367,155 I LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLY Filed May 16, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Fife? ZZZ/(Mime! A TTOQ/V'EV United States Patent 3,367,155 LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLY Peter M. Kobrehel, Warren, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 16, 1966, Ser. No. 550,513 9 Claims. (Cl. 70-366) This invention relates to lock cylinder assemblies and more particularly to side bar type lock cylinder assemblies.

In the conventional side bar lock cylinder assembly, either of the pivoted tumbler type or the slidable tumbler type, a plurality of tumblers are provided with V-shaped notches which are aligned with respect to each other upon insertion of the proper key to receive the V-shaped side bar and place the assembly in an unlocked or operative condition. However, if certain of the tumblers are aligned while others are not, the V-shaped side bar may cam the misaligned tumblers into aligned position so that the lock assembly can be placed in an unlocked condition, even though the inserted key is not properly coded or some other implement is being used.

This invention obviates such problems of conventional side bar lock cylinder assemblies and differs from such assemblies in several important features. One feature is that the tumbler notches and the side bar must be exactly or substantially perfectly aligned before the side bar can coact with the notches and place the lock cylinder in an unlocked condition.

This feature is obtained by providing the movable tumblers with generally square shaped notches and the side bar with a plurality of pivoted locking elements or segments having generally square shaped locking portions which coact with the tumbler notches to permit the side bar to move to an unlocked condition. By providing the square shaped notches and the generally square shaped locking portions, no camrning action between the two is possible. Further, all of the lugs must be exactly aligned with their respective notches before the side bar can move to its unlocked position. The locking elements are normally located in an aligned position by biasing means. The biasing means permit each element to pivot independently of the other elements to thereby permit key removal. The blocking portions of the elements are of smaller size than the tumbler notches so that a surface of one is located in a plane located in parallel spaced relationship to a surface of the other with which is coacts in juxtaposed relationship when the side bar is in unlocked condition.

Another important feature of the lock cylinder assembly of this invention is that an actuator is provided to move the side bar assembly to its locked position. In the conventional side bar type lock cylinder assembly, the tumblers must cam the side bar assembly to locked position when the key is removed. Since there is no camming action between the tumblers and the side bar assembly in this invention, a separate key operated actuator is provided to perform this function.

These and other features of the lock cylinder of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a lock cylinder assembly according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 with the authorized key inserted;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded partially broken away perspective view.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, a lock cylinder assembly 10 according to this invention includes an outer casing 12 which is adapted to be fixedly mounted in any suitable manner on a support. The casing 12 includes an outer counterbored portion 14 which rotatably receives a like shaped annular outer portion 16 of a plug 18. The counterbored portion 14 of the casing 12 opens into a bore portion 20 of lesser diameter which terminates in an inner bore portion 22 of lesser diameter.

An actuator 24 includes an outer annular portion 25 rotatably mounted in a counterbored portion 26 of the plug 18 and an inner annular portion 27 rotatably mounted in an inner counterbore 28 of the plug. Portions 25 and 27 are interconnected by a web 29, one surface of which is shaped to receive a double bitted key 30, FIGURES 4 and 5. Portion 27 is shaped to receive the free end of the key.

A conventional shutter 32 is pivotally mounted on a pin 34 which is staked within openings in the outer key receiving bore 36 of plug portion 16. A coil torsion spring 38 engages both the shutter 32 and a sealing member 40 to bias the shutter to a closed position wherein it closes the key receiving slot 42 of the member 40, as shown in FIGURE 3. The member 46 is located within a counterbored portion 44 of bore 36 and is located against axially outward movement by a cap 46 which surrounds an outer annular flange portion 48 of the casing and is secured thereto by a number of bent tabs 50. The cap 46 is provided with a key receiving opening 52 to provide access therethrough for the key 30.

The plug 18 includes an upper portion 54 and a lower portion 56, the outer surfaces of which are shaped to conform to the inner surface of the casing 12. A slot 58 separates the portions 54 and 56 and they are connected to each side of the slot by the portion 16, FIGURE 3, and an inner annular shouldered portion 60 rotatably mounted in the portions 20 and 22 of the casing. The portion 60 includes the bore 28 which receives the portion 27 of actuator 24. A rib 64 on the portion 27 is received within a groove 66, FIGURE 6, of the portion 6 3 to connect the plug 18 and the actuator 24 for combined rotation as a unit.

As best shown in FIGURE 6, a side bar assembly designated generally 68 includes a frame 70 having an outer leg 72 provided with a slot 74, an inner leg 76 provided with slots 77 and 78, and a base leg 80 provided with a slot 82. A locking lug 84 extends laterally of the leg 76.

A pin 86 is slidably received within the slots 74 and 78. A plurality of side bar elements 88 are pivotally and slidably received on the pin 86, with these elements being located between the legs 72 and 76 by means of bearings 90 provided between the outer elements and the inner walls of the legs. All of the elements are the same and each includes a slot 92 which is generally of funnel shape. A flat spring 94 includes individual spring fingers or members 96 which engage the bases of the slots 92 in respective elements 88. The fingers 96 bias all of the members 88 to a normal aligned position as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 5. The base of the spring 94 is received within the slot 82 and the outer fingers 97 of the spring are received within the slot 77 and a corresponding slot in the leg 72 to mount the spring on the frame 70. The ends of the outer fingers may be slightly bent out of their normal plane to retain the spring in place. Portions of the leg 80 are cut away to each side of the slot 82 to provide for unhindered movement of the spring fingers 96 relative to the base of the spring.

The assembly 68 is slidably mounted within the slot 58 of plug 18 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5. A leaf-type spring 98 has its lower edge portion staked within a groove 100 of plug 18 and its upper reversely bent edge portion slidably bearing against the outer surface of the leg 80 of frame 70 to bias the side bar assembly inwardly of the casing 12 and plug 18 or to the right as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 5.

A side bar actuator 102 includes inner and outer U- shaped portions 104 which straddle the actuator 24 and are interconnected by an offset web 106. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the free legs of portions 104 bear against the free ends of legs '72 and 76 and cover the openings of the slots 74 and 78 to prevent escape of the pin 86. A pair of coil compression springs 108 seat between upstanding apertured lugs 110 of plug 18 and the connected legs of portions 104 to continually bias the actuator 102 to the left as viewed in FIGURES 2 through 5, inclusive, to seat web 106 on web 29. The force of the springs 108 is greater than the force of the spring 98 so that unless the side bar actuator 102 is held against movement, the springs 108 will normally maintain the actuator in its position as shown in FIGURE 3.

A pin 112 is fitted within the apertures of lugs 110 and a plurality of tumblers 114 have one apertured end thereof pivotally and slidably mounted on the pin. These tumblers are of generally crescent or U shape and extend over the web 29 of the actuator 24 between the portions 104 of the actuator. A tumbler spring 116 has one edge portion thereof staked Within a groove 118 of plug 18 and the other edge portion thereof bearing against the tumblers to bias the tumblers counterclockwise of the pin 112. Each of the tumblers includes a node 120 intermediate the ends thereof, with these nodes being of varying sizes. The other end portion of each of the tumblers includes a groove 122 which is intended to receive a respective lug 124 of each of the elements 88 when the side bar assembly is in its unlocked position shown in FIGURE 5.

It will be noted that the grooves 122 are generally of square shape as are the lugs 124. This ensures that the tumblers and the side bar elements must be aligned with each other before the lugs 124 can interfit with the grooves.

When the assembly is in locked position or condition as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the spring 116 biases the tumblers 114 counterclockwise until the nodes 120 thereof bear against the web 29 of actuator 24 to limit such movement. The springs 108 move the actuator 102 to the left until the web 106 of the actuator seats on web 29 of actuator 24. The portions 104 of the actuator cam the side bar assembly 70 to the left against the action of spring 98 to locate the lugs 124 of elements 88 immediately adjacent or in engagement with a cam edge portion 126 of a respective tumbler 114. The locking lug 84 of the side bar frame is partially received within a groove or slot 128 of portion 60 of plug 18 and a groove or slot 130 of casing 12 to lock the plug 18 to the casing. Slot 128 is a continuation of slot 58 although radially offset therefrom.

The actuator 24 is connected to the plug 18 by the cooperating rib 64 and groove 66. Should an unauthorized key or other instrument be inserted in the actuator 24 to try and rotate the plug 18, the rib 64 will break to disconnect the plug and actuator. Thus, forcible entry is effectively prevented.

When the authorized key 30 is inserted within the actuator 24, the body of the key engages the offset web 106 of the actuator 102 to cam this actuator to the right as viewed in FIGURES 4 and against the action of the springs 108. The teeth of the key, which are cut to the correct height, will engage the respective nodes 120 of each of the tumblers 114 to swing the tumblers clockwise about the pin 112 to a position wherein all of the grooves 122 are aligned with their respective lugs 124. Spring 98 will then move the side bar assembly 68 to the right to move the lugs 124 within grooves 122 and move the locking lug 84 out of slot 130 and totally within the slot 128.

The actuator 24 and plug 18 can then rotate within casing 12 to actuate whatever member is connected to the plug.

The nodes are of varying height as are the teeth of the key 30. It is impossible for the lugs 124 to be received within their respective grooves 122 until the key has been totally inserted within the actuator to align these interfitting lugs and grooves. Since the lugs and grooves are generally of complementary square shape rather than being of funnel or tapered shape, the lugs and grooves must be perfectly aligned before they can interfit. This is an effective preventative against picking since it is very difficult to align all of the lugs and grooves without an authorized key. Any misalignment will cause the blunt ends of one or more of the lugs to engage the cam edge portion 126 of a respective tumbler to block any movement of the side bar assembly 68 to its position shown in FIGURE 5.

As the key 30 is being removed, the tumblers 114 will swing about pin 112 as nonrespective teeth engage nonrespective nodes. The shape of slots 92 permits the individual elements 88 to swing relative to their respective spring fingers 96 and opposite to their respective tumblers to permit removal of the key. As soon as the key is removed, the spring fingers, of course, return the elements to their normal position. The slots 92 of the elements 88 are of a shape to permit the elements to rotate oppositely with respect to the tumblers 114 and also oppositely with respect to movement of the respective spring fingers 96 about the base portion of the spring 94.

Although this invention has been shown and described in conjunction with a lock cylinderassembly having pivoted tumblers, the invention is equally applicable to the more common type of side bar lock cylinder assembly which includes slidable tumblers.

Thus, this invention provides an improved lock cylinder assembly.

I claim:

1. A side bar lock cylinder assembly comprising, in combination, a casing structure, a plug structure movably mounted within said casing structure, a plurality of tumblers, each tumbler including a side bar receiving opening, means mounting said tumblers on one of said structures for movement between an unlocked position, wherein said openings are successively aligned, and a locked position wherein said openings are misaligned, a side bar assembly mounted on one of said structures for movement between locked and unlocked positions, means on said side bar assembly interlocking said casing structure and said plug structure when said side bar assembly is in locked position and freeing .said plug structure for movement relative to said casing structure when said side bar assembly is in unlocked position, said assembly including a plurality of individual locking members respective to said tumblers and having at least one surface thereof normally lying in a plane of movement of said side bar assembly, means mounting said locking members on said assembly for individual movement relative thereto, said tumbler openings each including an edge portion lying in a plane in parallel spaced relationship to the plane containing the locking member surfaces when said tumblers are in unlocked position, each opening receiving a respective locking member to permit said side bar assembly to move to unlocked position, the locking member surfaces being located in juxtaposed parallel relationship to the tumbler opening edge portions in said unlocked position of said assembly.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein each of said tumbler openings include spaced edge portions located in parallel relationship to each other and each of said locking members include spaced parallel surfaces located in parallel relationship to each other and to a respective tumbler edge portion.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said side bar assembly includes a plurality of side bar segments, each segment being mounted on said assembly for movement therewith and movement relative thereto, each said segment including one of said locking members.

4. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein .said assembly includes means normally locating each of said segments in a position to align said locking members, said locating means resisting movement of said segments out of said position thereof.

5. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said locking members are movable relative to said side bar assembly and to a respective tumbler when said assembly is in unlocked position and said respective tumbler is moved relative to said respective locking member.

'6. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said side bar assembly includes a plurality of side bar segments, said segments being pivotally mounted on said assembly for movement relative thereto and being movable with said assembly upon movement of the latter between locked and unlocked positions, each said segment including one of said locking members, each locking member having at least a pair of generally parallel sides, means interconnecting each segment and said assembly to locate said segments in a longitudinally aligned relationship and thereby align said locking members, said tumbler openings including at least a pair of parallel sides and receiving said respective locking members in the unlocked position of said assembly, each locking member being independently rotatable relative to said assembly and against the action of said interconnecting means upon movement of a respective tumbler.

7. The combination recited in claim 1 including first means biasing said side bar assembly to unlocked position, second means biasing said tumblers to locked position, and key operated means for moving said side bar assembly to locked position against the action of said first means to permit said second means to move said tumblers to locked position.

8. The combination recited in claim 1 including means biasing said side bar assembly to unlocked position and key operated means for moving said side bar assembly to locked position against the action of said biasing means to permit movement of said tumblers to locked position.

9. The combination recited in claim 6 including an actuator member movably mounted on said plug structure and cngageable with said side bar assembly, means biasing said actuator member in one direction to bias said assembly to locked position, key engageable means on said actuator member engageable with an authorized key inserted in said plug structure to move said actuator member in another direction out of engagement with said side bar assembly, and means for moving said side bar assembly to unlocked position upon movement of said actuator member in said another direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,705,363 3/1929 Heyer 422 XR 2,036,747 4/ 1936 Fitzgerald 70-422 XR 2,182,588 12/ 1939 Jacobi 70-3 66 2,524,339 10/1950 Young et a1 70-366 2,690,070 9/1954 Spain 70-366 X 2,949,762 8/ 1960 Iohnstone 703 64 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SIDE BAR LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CASING STRUCTURE, A PLUG STRUCTURE MOVABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CASING STRUCTURE, A PLURALITY OF TUMBLERS, EACH TUMBLER INCLUDING A SIDE BAR RECEIVING OPENING, MEANS MOUNTING SAID TUMBLERS ON ONE OF SAID STRUCTURES FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN UNLOCKED POSITION, WHEREIN SAID OPENINGS ARE SUCCESSIVELY ALIGNED, AND A LOCKED POSITION WHEREIN SAID OPENINGS ARE MISALIGNED, A SIDE BAR ASSEMBLY MOHNTED ON ONE OF SAID STRUCTURES FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN LOCKED AND UNLOCKED POSITIONS, MEANS ON SAID SIDE BAR ASSEMBLY INTERLOCKING SAID CASING STRUCTURE AND SAID PLUG STRUCTURE WHEN SAID SIDE BAR ASSEMBLY IS IN LOCKED POSITION AND FREEING SAID PLUG STRUCTURE FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID CASING STRUCTURE WHEN SAID SIDE BAR ASSEMBLY IS IN UNLOCKED POSITION, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL LOCKING MEMBERS RESPECTIVE TO SAID TUMBLERS AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE SURFACE THEREOF NORMALLY LYING IN A PLANE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID SIDE BAR ASSEMBLY, MEANS MOUNTING SAID LOCKING MEMBERS ON SAID ASSEMBLY FOR INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, SAID TUMBLER OPENINGS EACH INCLUDING AN EDGE PORTION LYING IN A PLANE IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO THE PLANE CONTAINING THE LOCKING MEMBER SURFACES WHEN SAID TUMBLERS ARE IN UNLOCKED POSITION, EACH OPENING RECEIVING A RESPECTIVE LOCKING MEMBER TO PERMIT SAID SIDE BAR ASSEMBLY TO MOVE TO UNLOCKED POSITION, THE LOCKING MEMBER SURFACES BEING LOCATED IN JUXTAPOSED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO THE TUMBLER OPENING EDGE PORTIONS IN SAID UNLOCKED POSITION OF SAID ASSEMBLY. 